


The Halla Queen and the Queen of Hallas

by PrydeOfArlathan



Series: Coria Lavellan's Inquisition [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-01
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-03-20 18:24:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3660534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrydeOfArlathan/pseuds/PrydeOfArlathan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the Inquisition journeys in the Fereldan mountains to reach a new fortress in which they hope to establish their new headquarters, future Inquisitor Coria Lavellan suddenly disappears in the woods.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Halla Queen and the Queen of Hallas

Coria put her hand in front of her eyes, shielding them from the sun. Her breath came out of her mouth like puffs of white smoke. The air was cold, the snow cover was deep and the slope was steep. They had been marching for hours now. Coria and her companions – Cassandra, Varric, Scout Harding and her men – were scouting ahead of the Inquisition, following Solas. Several days before, he had taken her apart from the rest of the Inquisition, and had told her he knew of a place where they could establish their new headquarters. It was in the Frostback Mountains, farther North than Haven. Now, they were all marching in the snow – her companions, the priests, the soldiers, the mages, the spies, the refugees… 

“Hey, Chuckles, do you know of a place where we could camp tonight? I only see mountains around here…” The poor dwarf seemed quite miserable in the deep snow.

Solas pondered for a moment. “There is. Right after the next pass, we can go down the valley and camp there. It is not much farther ahead.”

“You know the region well, Solas.” noted Cassandra.

The elf shrugged. “I have traveled a lot in my life, Seeker.”

Coria all but ran to be the first to arrive at the mountain pass. From there, she could indeed see a valley, far below. They’d have to follow a path just outside a little forest to reach it, but they could indeed make camp down there. She turned towards the others, who were just arriving at her side.

“Do you guys want to stop here a little, or do you want to continue?” she asked her troops.

“Well, as far as I’m concerned, I’m almost freezing to death – so I’d _like_ to make camp as soon as possible…” groaned Varric.

The two other nodded as well, and Coria turned towards Scout Harding. She had been accompanying them with her team, and was the relay between their little group and the rest of the Inquisition, led by Cullen and Leliana. Coria liked the young dwarf better and better each day.

“Harding, you and your men - go back to the others and tell them we have found a place to camp, and then lead them there. We’ll march ahead and begin setting up our tents.”

Harding smiled and bowed slightly. “As you wish, Herald.”

A few minutes later, Coria and her companions were coming down the mountain, following what seemed to be a game trail leading to the valley. After an entire day of walking and climbing, they were all tired and silent. Even Varric had stopped talking.

And that’s when they heard it: the scream of what had to be a large beast, coming from the forest on their right. The beast seemed to be coming their way.

“What was that?” Cassandra asked, frowning. Her hand was already on the pommel of her sword, and she was trying to pinpoint where the beast was. Nothing seemed to move in the forest. 

Then the beast screamed again – it was already closer, and even Solas looked a little worried now. Cassandra, Varric and him took several steps back, in order to leave some space between them and the edge of the forest. Coria did not move at first. Instead, a smile widened on her face, and she felt her heart bump faster. Without even thinking about the others and what they were going to think, she rushed inside the forest, directly towards the beast.

_“Herald!” “Coria!” “Moonbeam!”_

-

In a matter of seconds, the Herald was gone. She had run right towards the forest. Solas, Cassandra and Varric had shouted after her, but she had run so quickly they had immediately lost sight of her. They went after the Herald, still on their guard – after all, they didn’t know what manner of beast had screamed earlier. Fortunately, it was rather easy to follow Coria, since she was leaving footsteps in the snow.

“What’s gone through Moonbeam’s head?” muttered Varric at Solas’s side, but the older elf had absolutely no idea.

Suddenly, Solas froze, and the other two did the same at his side. He had seen something move between the branches in front of him, something _big_ … Solas’s breath hitched, and his eyes widened. There she was. But she was not alone anymore.

Coria was now mounted atop a Great Hart Halla, as white as the snow around them. The Hart and her rider parted the branches of the trees, and it left snow in Coria’s hair – like so many shining stars. She was smiling at them, beaming even. For Solas, that sight was … _magical_ , for lack of a better term. His words failed him for once. She was like a sudden apparition from the past – an elven queen riding a noble beast. He realized his mouth was open, and he closed it with an audible snap.

Coria seemed to take delight in their baffled looks.

“And here comes the dashing hero on her shining steed! Is _this_ ‘posturing’ enough for you, Solas?” she asked, her eyes sparkling. 

“Yes, I think it qualifies, Herald.” Solas answered with a little smile.

At the older elf’s side, Cassandra now looked amazed. She had sheathed her sword again.

“What _is_ it?” she asked incredulously. 

Coria was stroking the Hart’s neck, who was shaking her head and seemed to appreciate all the attention she was given.

“I present you Mula. She’s a Great Hart Halla, and my friend - I’ve known her since she was a foal. I made the journey from the Free Marches with her, but I had to let her in the forest near Haven when I tried to enter the Conclave. I think she was scared by the explosion and the Breach, and that’s why I couldn’t find her afterwards. But she finally came back and found _me_.”

“She’s beautiful, Moonbeam.” whispered Varric. He seemed impressed by the beast, and was staying at a respectful distance. Mula answered him by a reedy sound, pleased by the compliment.

“Also, you must know that Harts can understand what we say - like mabaris.” Coria added absently.

She was now examining Mula’s rump. The Hart had been injured by an arrow when they had arrived in Ferelden, but the wound seemed to have closed itself without any problem. Out of the corner of her eyes, Coria saw Solas raise a hand to pat Mula, and she shouted – she hadn’t see him approach, and he was certainly in for a surprise: Mula _only_ let Coria touch her, and she frequently stamped on people’s feet, or even _bit_ them sometimes. She had always been a little wild.

“Solas, watch out, she-“

But Coria didn’t finish her warning shout. Solas was now gently running his fingers in Mula’s fur, and the Hart was putting her nose in his neck. It was Coria’s turn to look baffled.

“By the Creators, j… just _how-_ “, she stammered.

Solas looked her in the eyes, with an ironic smile. “Is there a problem?” 

Coria blinked several times, still surprised. “No. But usually, Mula never lets other people touch her.”

“Seems like Chuckles has charmed your friend, Moonbeam.”

Coria was still amazed and kept looking at the other elf, who was still stroking Mula’s neck gently, his long fingers tangled in the white fur. Each time Coria saw him work on something – taking notes from a book he was reading, working on a new staff or a potion – she was mesmerized by his hands and fingers. She had a fleeting thought about his fingers doing the same thing in her own hair, and she slightly blushed. _One day, maybe_ , she thought. But suddenly, she had an inspiration. 

“Hey, are you in for a ride, Solas? Mula loves to run, and this valley is perfect to discover her at her top speed. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

She outstretched her left hand, and the other elf only hesitated for a moment. Then he took her hand, and she helped him mount behind her. Mula had no saddle – Coria had taken it away when she had left her in the forest, and it was likely lost now. She could feel the back of her legs brush against Solas’s. Oh, this was going to be _interesting_.

“We won’t be too long. But you can begin to set up the tents!” she told Cassandra and Varric. Then, she turned her head towards Solas. “One advice before we begin: hang on! You can put your hands _anywhere you want_.” she added with a wink. Only one second later, she felt his hands circle around her, grabbing her waist firmly. She could feel his fingers and their warmth even through the fabric. With a little _click_ of her tongue and a subtle movement of her legs, she encouraged Mula to start walking in the snow, down the slope and towards the valley.

At Varric’s side, Cassandra emitted a disgusted noise.

“Did that really just happen?” she groaned. “Did she really say that?”

The dwarf chuckled and started walking again.

“Yes, Seeker, she did. Our Herald certainly knows what she wants.”

-

Coria now really realized how much she had missed her friend.

Master Dennet had offered her a horse, but a horse was very different from a Hart. A horse was slower, couldn’t understand what she said, and had to be guided almost all the time. She had come to like her horse of course – she had named him Ma’Felas, _my slow_ – and she always took good care of him after each of their expeditions. But now, she was riding Mula again. When they arrived in the valley itself, Coria made a little _click_ with her tongue once again, and the Hart began to speed up, and then speed up more and more. Soon, she was at her top speed and running with the enthusiasm of a young foal discovering snow for the first time.

Coria felt the excitement rising inside her – she liked the speed, the wind on her skin and in her hair, feeling Mula’s strong muscles work beneath her, the hint of danger when the Hart jumped above small obstacles, snow flying around them. She could feel Solas’s body, close behind her, as well as his hands around her waist. He was accompanying Coria’s and Mula’s movements, his knees often brushing the back of her thighs. Behind them were the Frostback Mountains and the forest they had just left. Around them, the snow of the valley was entirely undisturbed, and there was not even one human building in sight. The winter sun was low, but there weren’t any clouds in the sky, which was a striking blue.  
In that moment, almost alone in the wilderness and far from anything human, Coria Lavellan felt like a Dalish elf again.

What an _excellent idea_ she had!

When Mula started to show signs of fatigue (which arrived sooner than she was used to, since she was carrying two people on her back), Coria made her slow down to a trot, then to a simple walk. The Hart looked very pleased with herself, prancing in the snow and emitting some happy trilling sounds (Mula could make _a lot_ of different sounds to express her emotions and opinions, and she made them known as often as she could). After the ride, Coria’s hair were all over her face, so she put them back into a ponytail. Then she turned towards Solas’s, a big smile on her face and the other elf smiled back at her. Of course, he was not disheveled – but his cheeks were now a healthy tint of red, thanks to the fresh air and the wind. And he looked younger, somehow. His hands were still around her waist. 

“ _So_? What do you think?” she asked.

“It was a great experience. Thank you for this, _lethallan_.”

Mula suddenly emitted a low, exasperated noise and shook her head and antlers. _‘Don’t forget about me!_ , she was saying, and Coria chuckled. But she stopped laughing when she felt Solas move behind her. He bent forward, his torso pressing against her back and his face right above her right shoulder – she could feel his cheek brush against her ear. Unconsciously, she held back her breath. Solas’s right hand left her waist to pat Mula’s neck.

“And also thank _you_ , Mula. It was an interesting experience. _On many levels_.”

As he said those last words, Coria distinctly felt his left hand squeeze her waist, and her stomach clenched. He straightened himself and casually placed his right hand back on her waist, like nothing had happened. Coria made Mula turn around and walk back towards the others.

 _That elf_! Each time Coria thought she had the upper hand in their developing relationship (or at least she hoped she could call it that), he _said_ or _did_ something that surprised her entirely – things that usually always had the same consequences: Coria’s cheeks and ears stayed red for a long time, and Solas had a smug expression on his face for the rest of the day (she was certain he was _already_ smiling smugly behind her). As if he had _won_ something.

But one day, _Coria_ would win.

 _“Just you wait, Solas!_ ,” she thought. _“Just you wait!”_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading me, I hope you enjoyed this oneshot :) And also, thank you, Audrey, for inspiring some of the dialogues!  
> Since the Inquisition is almost at Skyhold, I think we all know what Coria will do next (and Solas will retaliate with Fade tongue ~)  
> I have many headcanons about Coria and her Great Hart Mula - I love them. I hope you enjoyed Mula !


End file.
